Folding scaffold.



Narren STATES EMILIS ENOS, OF RACINE, VISOONSIN.

FOLDING SCAFFOLD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,959, dated August 6, 1901.

Application filed September 16, 1899. Serial No. 730,741. (No model.)

T trilwtmn, t may concern:

Beit known that I, EMILIUS ENOS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Scaolds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in scaffolds, particularly to a portable folding scaffold.

The object of my invention is to produce a scaffold which may be folded into a small package, may be carried from place to place, and which may be put in operative position easily and quickly. This object I obtain in the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my scaold as it will appear when in position against any building or other structure. Fig. 2 is a side elevation and ism partially in cross-section. Figs. 3, 4, and are views in cross-section taken, respectively, on lines 3, 4, and 5.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My scaffold is in the nature of two frames i which are placed against the house or structure to be painted or worked on. Each ofthe frames has a depending arm, and to each depending arm one or more cross-arms are hinged,which rest or project through openings in the main frame and form the supportingarms of the scaffold. On these cross-arms of the two frames planks or boards are placed, which form the footway of the scaffold. Each main frame is formed of two boards 1 and 2 of the proper length-say eighteen feet-placed sideby side,withaninterveningspacebetween of about two and one-half inches. In these intervening spaces strips of boards 3, 4, and 5, each two and one-half inches square, are secured to the side pieces,thus forming the main frame. In order that the cross-arms spoken of may be folded into the frame, these intervening strips are placed in diiferent positions. The lower one or strip 3,which is about six feet long, is placed in the bottom of the channel between the side pieces and with the side pieces 1 and 2 forms a U in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5. A space is left between strip 3 and strip 4,which is placed in the middle of the frame, forming with the side pieces an H in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3. A'

space is also left between strip 4 and strip 5, which, like 4, is in the middle of the frame. The spaces between the strips allow the arm to pass through the frame.

Near the top of the frame and below the strip 5, as shown at G, is pivoted a depending arm 7, and to this arm are hinged the crossarms S and 9 at 10 and 1l, respectively. It will be noticed that I have cut a seat for each cross arm in the depending arm 7. The hinges shown at 10 and 11 may be of any style, but preferably of the ordinary strap variety, and the hinge for the arm 9 will preferably be bent, as shown at 12, so that when the scaffold is folded the arm 9 may rest within the channel of the main frame and against the top of strip 4.

At the upper end ofthe frame I have shown a pivoted su pporting-arm 13, carrying a roller 14 at its inner end, which when the scaffold is being raised will bear against the structure and facilitate the raising. At the outer end of arm 13 an arm 15 is pivoted or hinged in any suitable manner. This arm hangs downward and will rest in one of the series of notches 16 in strip 5, the particular notch de pending upon the slant of the main frame.

When the scaold is in operative position,

the arms 8 and 9 will rest on the upper ends of the inner strips 3 and 4, respectively, and on these arms and arm 13 planks or boards a, b, c, and CZ will be placed to form the iioors of the scaold.

Any suitable material may be used and the sizes may bevaried greatly. Clamping devices may be employed in different places to stiifen the scaffold while in operative position.

Having .thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. vIn a folding scaffold, a main support consisting of two parallel side boards and interi vening strips of boards between them of less thickness than the width of the side boards, a depending arm pivoted to said main support between its parallel boards and one or more foot-board-supporting arms hinged to said vertical arm and adapted when in operative position to lie horizontally and to rest upon the intervening strips, the intervening strips and said 'supporting arm being arranged so that the latter folds on the former and lies Within the Width of the side boards.

2. yIn a folding scalord, a main support con- Vening strips and lie within the width of the side boards. v p

3. In a folding scaffold, a supporting and housing member consisting of two parallel side boards and intervening strips of boardsA between them, of less thickness than the width of the side boards, a depending arm pivoted to said supporting member, one or more floor-supporting members hinged to said depending armyand adapted when the scaffold is in operative position to rest horizontally upon the intervening strips of the housing member, and when said scaffold is in if operative position or folded, to lie Within the width of the housing member.

4. In a folding scaffold, a mainsupporting member consisting of two parallel boards and intervening strips of boards between them, a depending arm pivoted to said supporting member between its component boards, one or more floor-supporting members hinged to said depending arms, and a roller-carrying arm pivoted to the parallel boards, and an arm l5 pivoted. to the roller-.carrying arm and having its lower end resting on notches in the intervening strips of the supporting member.

Signed by me at Milwaukee this 29th day of July, 1899.

EMILIUS ENOS.

Witnesses:

JNO. S. GREEN, J W. FLYNN. 

